About the job

Job summary

Summary 

The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink. 

Everyone who works with us or in one of our agencies and public bodies has a part to play in achieving our vision of ‘creating a great place for people to live’. The work we do impacts the lives of everyone living in the UK. 

About the Biosecurity, Borders and Trade Programme 

The Biosecurity, Borders and Trade (BBT) programme delivers on Defra’s responsibility for setting policies to protect biosecurity, by designing and delivering a regime of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) import controls. In doing so it contributes to wider Government 2025 UK Border Strategy, supporting the ambition of ‘having ‘the world's most effective border that creates prosperity and enhances security for a global United Kingdom’. The purpose of that strategy is to set out: 

• Our approach to working in partnership with the border industry and users of the border to design, deliver and innovate around the border

• A long-term Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) that describes the border we are intending to create

• The major transformations that government and industry will need to deliver by 2025 and beyond to implement the Border Target Operating Model

Job description

We are looking for candidates who enjoy the challenge of working through complexity, have a real drive to deliver and make the world better for their stakeholders. Candidates will be experienced in working with multiple delivery partners, both within and outside government and be able to demonstrate significant project delivery skills and expertise, such as large-scale business and operational change, digital transformation, and infrastructure delivery. 

Responsibilities 

• Develop a detailed understanding of the plant health regime and potential implications for the plant health exports regime for technology, services, operations, capability, and legislation
• Develop export strategies and issue resolution with EU trading partners
• Ownership of the plant health dashboard which brings together quantitative and qualitative data, key trends and findings
• Ensuring value for money against resource & funding thresholds
• Continue to develop with stakeholders the short term tactical solution for reporting 
• Develop strategic reporting mechanisms in line with transition to new IT platforms 
• Lead the development of IT services in line with Single Trade Window considering assisted pre-notification and electronic certification 
• Drive key decisions affecting the direction and delivery of the work area, assessing risk and advising on mitigation, and effectively influencing stakeholders across government and industry to secure key objectives 
• Develop an understanding of and support potential Future Border technologies and how current border processes and IT will fit into these proposals
• To coordinate and bring together the right subject matter experts to inform and take forward, design and implement policy
• Drive key decisions affecting the direction and delivery of the work area, assessing risk and advising on mitigation, and effectively influencing stakeholders across government and industry to secure key objectives
• Support and maintain project governance to an exceptional standard 

Your personal qualities will be as important as your professional experience; and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you believe you have the skills and qualities we are looking for, then we would like to hear from you. The Defra group is dedicated to having a diverse workforce which represents people in our communities and an inclusive culture where everyone feels they can be their authentic self at work, belong in the organisation and can speak up to challenge. We want everyone to be able to contribute to the success of our organisation, regardless of your background. 

Person specification

• Must have proven experience in SPS policy development, implementation or operational delivery 
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, influencing stakeholders at the highest level whilst adapting your delivery to suit a wide variety of audiences
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and lead teams to respond flexibly to change and competing demands
• Bring a passion for innovation, showing leadership in delivering new ideas and ways of working
• Ability to strategically think and plan ahead, ensuring policy and delivery plans are developed to meet changing business needs
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, sharing information, resources and support  

Location 

We welcome a hybrid style of working – working from home and in an office. This role is being advertised in various areas, during your application you will be asked to select your preferred 2 core office locations as stated below; 

 

Bristol - London - Newcastle - York 

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,439, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,687 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete; 

• A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications. Your CV will be used for Information Only). 
• A Statement of Suitability (max. 750 words) demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the job description, responsibilities, and essential criteria aligning your responses to the three Behavioural competencies of Leadership, Delivering at Pace and Making Effective Decisions. Using the STAR process will help achieve a structed document. 
• 1 behaviour, Delivering at Pace (250 words max) 

 Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Delivering at pace. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.

Interview

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview. This vacancy is using Civil Service Success Profiles and we will assess your Behaviours and Experience. 

You will also be asked questions based on the following Civil Service Behaviours; 

• 1 – Delivering at pace 
• 2 – Making effective decisions 
• 3 – Leadership 
• 4 - Working together 

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Candidates applying for these roles will be based at one of the Defra hubs as advertised.  

For information, our core Defra hub locations are:

• York – the Kings Pool
• Newcastle – Lancaster House
• Bristol – Horizon House (Please note that space at this office is limited and it may not be possible for all Policy roles to be recruited to this location)
• London – 2 Marsham Street

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations.Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Merit Lists 

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Salary 

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Higher Security Clearance 

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer. 

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.